3 Jan 2024 - MGOL - Kundan - India's first WDM2 Rail Locomotive.

03 Jan...An important day for all Rail fans of India including me.

60 years ago, on 03 January 1964, India’s first indigenously built and assembled 2600hp, max speed 120 kmph Alco Diesel Locomotive (Better known as Diesel Engine in normal parley) WDM2 (Broad Gauge Mixed Traffic Locomotive Model No. 2) built by Diesel Locomotive Works DLW, Varanasi, started its service in Howrah (Kolkata) Division.

It was named Kundan – probably honouring the great singer actor Kundan Lal Saigal. This locomotive and its variants powered the major part of Indian Railways right through the 1970s till the end of 2000. In fact my generation of Rail Fans grew up admiring this well built fellow.

KUNDAN - the first WMD2 - Made in India.

I must have first seen this engine as a kid of 6 and I was hooked to its built, its grace and most important...its sound...its music – the firing known as chugging, the combination of power, sound, the smoke and then the two separate or sometimes twin note horn. No words could describe that feeling on hearing that horn with its musical start off, its smoke and yes...the nostalgic transition, jerk or zhatka at approximately 39-40 kmph speed due to the power cut and change in acceleration, minutes after the train pulled out of the station and then the fiery acceleration to glory. This is the music that will stay with me all my life.

Not much is available in form of good photos or videos. Though WDM2 are almost extinct today and replaced by much more powerful and efficient locomotives, some old photos and videos give some idea of its glory. However, memories engraved permanently on my mind will be one of my most treasured possessions.

Now that's exactly a scene from my days as a kid.

Clicked by me to celebrate New Year's Day 2010 at a station named Adarki on the Pune - Miraj Line in Maharashtra India. It was a Point and Shoot Photo...scanned image posted here.

WDM2 Parade...Wow!

The informative video specifically about KUNDAN in Hindi by Mr. Shubham at Varanasi. 

Now that’s the high speed version of this majestic WDM2. It was a beast on rail. This  wonderful video by Ujjawal Kashyap at Barbatpur Station between Betul – Itarsi section in Madhya Pradesh captures the fury of a WDM2 of Itarsi Loco Shed sweeping off Chhindwara – Delhi Sarai Rohila - Patalkot Express. The veteran in full action even in 2012! FULL SCREEN and FULL VOLUME PLEASE.

Pulling out of a station in style – thats WDM2. Satara - Pune Passenger with Pune Loco Shed WDM2 pulls out of Shindawane, south of Pune in Maharashtra on an early December morning in 2007. The video is by Jay Balakrishna.

The music of WDM2

Barmer – Haridwar/ Rishikesh Link Express starts its journey from Deshnoke Station between Jodhpur and Bikaner in Rajasthan with WDM2 of Bhagat Ki Kothi (Jodhpur) Loco Shed. Note the idling at the start, the firing and acceleration at 0.05 Sec, the smoke at 00.10 sec and full throttle from 0.48 sec and the melodious Horn of a full 25 seconds from 00.53. Wow...that’s music- the Indian Railways way. Shot in 2011 by Mr/Ms 47522... (that’s a YouTube Channel name!). Thanks for that lovely capture...

- Dr. Salil Latay
Pune, India
03 January 2024, Wednesday

First published in 2022...now a re run.

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